New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-07-20
Here, sir, do you require me?" he

Here, sir, do you require me?'' he
asked cody.
The colonies stared at him. His face,
with it's expression Of mingled stern
ness and entire bewilde rment, would
have bsen no mean study for a paint.
er.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
| Keenly scrutinizing the young man,
| who did not quail before his gaze he
said stitf1y, after a pause Of some sec
1 onds:
| 81 certainly thought, sir, saw you
at the ball in D. street, just now"
Ne, sir?'' replied the other, audac-
iously; why, am on guard, sir..'
1t is very singular" resumed the
colonel, without relaxing his scrutiny,
and slightly raising his voice; Il could
have sworn that / saw you there!''
Very singular indeed, sir,'' retort-
ed the delinquent, gaining boldness
from the very extremity of the strait
to which he found himself reduced;
"since a man can't be in two places
at once, and you have found me here.
A case Of mistaken Identity, perhaps,
SIR
The two men stood still, cycling each
other, one keenly eager to detect, the
other as eagerly seeking to avoid de-
lection. The colonel was completely
| baf1ed. The man was there before
hlm-that was certain; but how hav-
| ing left him, as he felt sure he had
done, among the guests at the ball,
| he came to be there now, was inexpli-
| cable. Not having wings wherewith
to fly, how on earth had the fellow
got there? Could he have been mis-
taken, he wondered, for a moment.
But, no. he had not.
He shifted the form OF his interroga-
| ton:
| Then you were not at the ball?"
he asked very pointedly.
The young officer was worthy OF. all
cond en1nation for having foresaken
| his post of duty. But though he had
acted inexcusably, he was Still gen
tleman, and he would not pollute his
| lips with a lie. He besitated for a re-
ply; then parried the question with
another.
How could be at the ball when
| you find me here, sir?'' he said.
| Yes, how; that was the mystery, the
simple solution Of which was the
| furthest in the world from presenting
itself to the colonel's brain. He knew
that 1t was quite impossible for an
other carriage to have arrived before
his own. His coachman had driven
| quickly enough to satisfy even his i'm
| patience and he could not have failed
Ito notice if another vehicle had pre-
| coded or followed his through the de-
serted streets. He could not in the
least understand it.
Silent, but wholly unconvinced, he
sat down in the hall to think what it
might behoove him to say or do next,
while the junior officer hustled about
in a reckless fashion, setting refresh
| n1ents before him and awkwardly en-
! deavoring to turn the conversation
| into another channel. The colonel
answered at random for his thoughts
were perplexed.
Mystifed, and righteously set on
convicting the offender, as he doubt
less was, be could not help, neverthe-
less feeling perception OF the comical
| side OF the question. He felt, too,
that however fully pursuaded he might
be in his own mind OF Captain Ken
daPs offense, it would perhaps be a.
different matter to prove it. He at
length cleared his throat portentous-
| ~, and returned to the charge.
Look here, Captain Kendall" he
said IN accents which somehow had
taken milder sound from the bent of
his cogitations, 'sit's no use beating
about the bush; I could stake my OK
istence that saw you at the ball
But how you came to be here now is
another matter, and don't pretend
to understand how you managed it.
You had better make a clean breast
OF it, and though it would be my duty
to take proceedings against you-yet,
if you will explain, it is possible that
may, just for once, considering the
peculiar features OF the case, be in.
duced to take a lenient view Of a very
grave misdemeanor."
Thus encouraged, the culprit, who
detected a kindly twinkle in the usu-
ally stern gray eye which was fasten-
ed upon him. made a full and free con-
fession Of his fault, and of the cause
which led thereto.
The colonel, though well advanced
in the vale OF years, had not outlived
the memory Of youthful hopes, and
was a kindly man, though a, strict dis
ciplinarian. The young lady whose
| fair image had lured the lover from his
duty, was rather favorite with him,
and considering, as he had said, the
| peculiar features of the case, he con-
sented to overlook the offence, and
inflicted no worse punishment of the
delinquent than a reprimand, which
| vas received in dutiful silence, and
with all due contrition. 5i
Six months later the colonel made
an eloquent speech at the weddin. OF
two happy young people. on which oe-
caslon Capt. Brereton acted as best
man. Then two sweet blue eyes look
| ed playfully into his, as the pretty
bride thanked him IN mysterious
/ whisper for the solitary and menOr-